Mathematics and Numeracy
At Neyland Community School we are committed to developing learners who have a mathematical mindset and a love of learning Mathematics.
We are passionate in our belief that all pupils can learn maths and setting a culture in school where staff are dedicated to helping all learners achieve their full potential in Maths.
Our learners are encouraged to be creative in their application of Maths and Numeracy. They are taught through a range of approaches and will develop a range of strategies to solve problems. They learn Maths through a Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract approach – the use of practical activities, manipulatives and games are crucial to our philosophy as well as using drawings to make sense of their learning.
The statements of 'what matters' as set out in the new curriculum in Wales will underpin the learning experience for our pupils and they will learn Mathematics and Numeracy through the concepts of number, algebra, geometry and statistics, developing the proficiencies of conceptual understanding, communication using symbols, fluency, logical reasoning and strategic competence.
Numeracy, described as the application of Mathematics to solve problems in real-world contexts – plays a critical part in our everyday lives and at Neyland Community School it is important that Mathematics and Numeracy experiences are engaging, exciting and accessible and that learning experiences develop mathematical resilience.
In the Early Years, play and exploration of ideas form an important part in the development of Mathematics and Numeracy. We aim for our learners to be effective problem solvers and make connections and work collaboratively. As learners progress through the school they will have the opportunity to work both independently and collaboratively to build on the foundations established in the early years.
Number sense!
We believe that a good understanding of number underpins mathematical development. Developing 'number sense' and a strong conceptual understanding of numbers and number relationships is crucial for our pupils to solve mathematical problems effectively.
Learners will develop their sense of number through learning the meaning of number, understanding number relationships, number magnitude, operations involving numbers and numbers and quantities. These skills are important because they lay the foundation for more advanced skills.
Through their development it is our aim for all learners to become proficient in the mathematical activities of mental calculation, computation and estimation, judging the relative magnitude of numbers, recognising part-whole relationships and place value concepts and problem solving and reasoning.
At Neyland it is important that our learners learn maths and numeracy through authentic contexts that have real-world applications. Our learners will engage in activities that have real meaning to them and our commitment to outdoor learning will play an important part in this.
Learners will use the computer programme Mathletics to develop fluency and to support understanding of all concepts. Pupils that do not make expected progress will receive timely and purposeful intervention that allows them to secure their understanding and our involvement with NACE will allow more proficient learners to strengthen their understanding to a greater depth.
